Changing the future A beautiful life
by G-shots
Summary: Starts at episode 13, season 5 ...but my take on a different direction. The 1st of many chapters, I hope!
1. Chapter 1

"Call Lowen," Tara said numbly, her hands behind her, tightly clasped in handcuffs, as her entire body trembled, walking past a shell-shocked Jax. Jax shook himself out of it and chased after Tara, grabbing her by the arm and turning her around, "Jax. We need to take her in," said the sheriff. "Come on Roosevelt," Jax said, almost frantically, "please, just give me a minute?" He looked at Tara, tears falling down her face, her eyes facing the ground. He grabbed her chin, forcing her head and eyes up to his, "I will get you out of this," he said, wiping her tears with his thumbs.

"Listen, I know you did what you thought needed to be done with the will ... Wendy. But you never let me finish telling you," he whispered as he pulled her in, wrapping her tightly in his embrace. "The deal is done ... We are out of all of it. The guns, the coke ... Everything. Out clean. No retaliation," Tara leaned her head back, her eyes wide,"Are you serious? How!" "Wrap it up Teller," Eli said, as he started to walk around the vehicle. "I'll explain everything. Listen to me. I'm gonna head up to Stockton in the morning. Sit down with Otto, seeing as they're now allowing visitors," Jax scoffing as he rubbed his chin, "Not that he can talk to me, but all he needs to do is hear me." "Ok," Tara took a deep breath. "Hurry. Please, Jax," Tara pleaded, the tears starting to fall. "Babe, I will be there to get you. You will be in a holding cell until at least sometime after noon. I will be there before then. I promise." He replied as he leaned in and kissed her hard. He could taste the salt from her tears and it tore at his heart. All of his shit that she has had to deal with for the last 3 years. 'This is all my fucking fault,' Jax thought.

"Let's go Mrs. teller," Eli said as he pulled on Tara's handcuffs. Tara winced. "Jesus Christ. Her fucking hand?" Jax said incredulously, as he eyed up the sheriff. Roosevelt, suddenly embarrassed by the force he used on the doctor, apologized, "Tara. I'm sorry. Really." Tara nodded at the sheriff. "What's going on," a voice called from across the street. Gemma came out of her car, walking toward the scene. "What does it look like Gemma?" Tara spat, as Roosevelt helped Tara into the back of the cruiser. "Why are you here," Jax said to his mom as he turned to her. "Yeah Gemma," Tara yelled out as the door began to close, "why don't you tell him why you're here!" Jax turned back to the cruiser and out his palm against the window. Tara leaned her cheek again the window briefly, then the vehicle pulled away, leaving Jax staring at the taillights. He didn't move his head, didn't move a muscle.

"Why ARE you here, Mom?" He turned his head slowly toward Gemma, "its 11o'clock, Mom. Ain't no way you would have heard about this, unless you're the reason this is happening to Tara." He faced her, glaring as he walked closer. Gemma had the wherewithall to at least shirk away from him. Suddenly a cry rang out from the house. "I'll go get Thomas," Gemma said as she started for the house. Jax grabbed her arm and whipped her back, Gemma almost falling with the force. "You stay away from the boys," he yelled, "mine and Tara's boys. NOT yours. Never yours! Go home Ma, " Jax said as he sighed, " I'll meet you at TM at 7:00. Don't be late. We ain't finished with this." He said as he walked into the house and quietly closed the door, leaving Gemma standing outside staring after him.

Jax walked in grabbed a bottle from the fridge and went to Thomas' room. Picking him up he said "You look so much like your momma, little guy." Thomas nuzzled for the bottle and finding the nipple, settled in for his midnight snack. How Tara managed to do all of this with Abel and pregnant with Thomas was beyond him. She was so much better than he deserved. But he would never give her up. Loved her too much. Took him almost 20 years to get her back. So instead, he was going to become the man that she deserved; the father his boys deserved. She loved him through all of his shit; the cheating with Ima, the guns, the cartel ... All the bullshit. She helped the club as much as any of the members, saving Cameron's life, the fucking bastard who kidnapped Abel, sewing up the guys on more than one occasion, doing CPR on Chibs when Zobelle tried to blow them up, and pulling more bullets than he can count out of guys, including Alvarez, President of the Mayans. Even helping his mom escape from St Thomas to go with him and the guys to Ireland to find Abel.

He shook his head ... Realizing now, that his love, his loyalty to the club was so sorely misplaced. It was Tara who deserved his love, his loyalty, the most. She married him in a brothel, for Christ's sake. The club has caused nothing but grief. He lost his Dad, Piney and Opie ... God, Op. Jax rubbed at his eyes, pushing away the tears. He had wanted out because of his love for his family ... Donna. But Jax, not at all understanding how much one could truly love another person, talked him out of leaving. And it would forever haunt him. Looking down at Thomas, Jax now understood Opie's desire to do better, want better for his family. Thomas had finished his bottle and fallen asleep. Jax lifted him over his shoulder and gently patted his back, not taking long before his sleeping son emitted a milky burp. Jax lowered Thomas down and held him in the cradle of his arms. Simply staring at his sleeping face. This is what it's all about. The best thing, hell the only thing he can do now is to BE the man that Tara and his boys needed. And nothing, no one was going to stand in his way.

Elyda arrived at 6:30 to watch the boys for the day. Jax explained to her that under no circumstances should his mother be allowed in the house to see the boys. In fact, he told her that if Gemma showed up, to call the cops: something he never thought he would have to resort to. He had also grabbed a bunch of plastic bins from the basement and instructed Elyda to pack up the boys rooms, as best she could. As soon as he got Tara, they were going getting the hell out of But from now on, Tara and his boys were going to be priority #1. And he was done with SAMCRO, Charming and most of all, Gemma.

*****my first fanfic ... Hope you like it ... More to come *** don't know how to rate it so apologize for the swearing ... Wanted to rate it M ... Happy reading!**


	2. Chapter 2

*****short chapter ... Again just my take on what I wish would have happened *** I love Jax and Tara as a couple ... To me, it is what makes the show balances the violence, etc ... The love the two of them have for each other ...**

Jax arrived at TM a few minutes before 7 and Gemma was already there, sitting outside the clubhouse. As he walked closer, she got up and started walking into the clubhouse.

"Stop," he said, Gemma turning around to face him.

"We're not doing this in there," Jax said as he motioned to the clubhouse. "You ... Are Not... A member. Don't have a seat at the table. We'll do this in your office."

Gemma looked at him, a grim expression washing over her face. "Fine Jackson. We can talk in the office."

Jax walked past her, saying under his breath, "there ain't gonna be a lot of talking. Just you listening" as he reached into his cut and grabbed a cigarette and lit it, smoking it as he lazily made his way across the parking lot to the garage office,

Jax walked though the doorway and took a seat on the couch, throwing his arm over the back of the couch and crossing his ankle over his leg. Gemma walked in behind him and quietly closed the door, smoothing down her shirt as she took a seat at the desk.

"Tell me," he whispered, his voice barley containing his rage.

She stammered a bit, " I thought she was going to take my babies ..." He cleared his throat, narrowing his eyes at her. "I mean, my grand-babies away. Take you away. From me. From the club."

Calmly he asked her, "what did you do?" She didn't answer, but her chest was heaving, a sheen of sweat breaking out across her lip and forehead. Jax lost it, not caring if the guys working in the garage heard him, "What the hell did you do to my wife?" He yelled.

"Called Roosevelt," she stammered. She'd never seen Jax this angry; not even when he found out about the attempted hit that Clay ordered on Tara. "Told him that he should look into the cross that Otto used to kill that nurse," Gemma replied, reaching for a cigarette in her purse. Lighting it, she took a deep drag, then exhaled. All the while, Jax was quiet, staring at his mother. Gemma couldn't stand the intense scrutiny and turned away, taking another drag.

"You sold out my wife? Couldn't stand that she took your place ... What you think is your rightful place with this club," Jax spat, "there's more. I know you. That ain't all ya said." He took a deep breath, staring at Gemma, waiting for her answer. "You know she's going to tell me. Gonna be a lot better hearing what you said to her firsthand than from my wife," Jax said.

Gemma took another drag of her cigarette, and stared out the window. Her voice was quiet when she replied, so unlike her, "told her that I'd never let her take you and the boys out of Charming. That I hoped she spent the next 20 years getting fist-raped in prison."

Jax jumped to his feet, slamming his hands down on her desk, scattering papers everywhere. "Are you fucking kidding me? What kind of person, what kind of woman, says that to another woman, let alone your daughter-in-law?" She was till staring off, out the windows when Jax took his forearm and swept it over her desk, knocking the computer screen, half-filled coffee cups and everything else that littered the top of her desk, onto the floor.

"You fucking look at me!" he yelled. She turned her eyes to him, and he noticed in that instant how old his mother had become. And, that she had not one ounce of remorse in those eyes of hers.

Suddenly, the last 4 years flashed through in his mind. The issues with Clay. Shit with Wendy. The lies. Manipulation. The letters his father wrote. All of the shit led back to his mother. And suddenly he didn't care what else she had done. Suddenly it was crystal clear to him; what was important. And how he needed to be the man he knew, Tara knew, that he could be. How instead of protecting the club, he should have been protecting his boys, protecting Tara. From the fallout from all of his shit and most of all, protecting them from Gemma. He remembered when he got out of Stockton after those 14 months, how he told Tara that JT should have taken Thomas and him and gotten out of Charming, even if it meant running over Gemma in the process. Now facing her, he knew exactly what needed to be done.

"I'm done," said Jax, looking at her as he reached into his cut and snagged another smoke, lighting it and inhaling with a deep breath. Gemma whipped her gaze to his, shocked to her very core."Done with the club. Done with Charming," and taking a deep breath he finished, "and done with you. I was always willing to overlook your shit ... Your manipulation of everything, because I thought it was because you loved me. But you know what I just realized? It's not me you love" he said with disgust, "it's this club. Always has been. Got knocked up by JT, then after he died, hell. BEFORE he died, hooked up with Clay. All because he was holding the gavel. Took the cake when you gave me the letters JT wrote to Maureen, after telling Tara you were going to give them to Clay." Gemma looked at him, her face filled with shock. "The fuck Mom. You didn't think Tara was going to tell me? She and I don't have, won't have secrets between us."


End file.
